1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to methods of adhering textile covers to spherical objects and more particularly relates to methods of covering tennis balls with textile fabrics.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
A commercial prior art process of adhering a textile cover to a tennis ball core is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. In the conventional process (shown in the FIG. 1), the cover fabric is coated with one component of a two-part latex adhesive, and the core (pinky) is coated with the second component. An array of identical dumbbell-shaped pieces is cut from the adhesive-coated fabric and the remaining fabric is removed as waste. The dumbbell-shaped pieces are stacked in register and the stack is clamped and dipped in a latex bath so that the edges of the individual pieces are coated. After separation of this stack of pieces, the adhesive-coated core and two of the adhesive-backed and edge seam-coated dumbbells are assembled to form a complete ball. The assembled balls are cured in heated molds for approximately ten minutes, during which time the adhesive bond between the cover and the core is developed, and the seam is thereby formed. The overall process involves three distinct coating and drying steps, an elaborate and time-consuming assembly and disassembly routine for the stack of pieces, and a slow cure cycle for the assembled ball.
The method of the present invention simplifies the covering of tennis balls, reducing the number of steps previously required and eliminating the need for solvent based adhesives. The use of solvents requires an additional step of driving the solvent off into the atmosphere. Release of solvents into the atmosphere is of course an undesirable occurrence. In addition, the slow cure cycle is eliminated. Other advantages of the method of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter.
Representative of prior art teachings in the literature are those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,652,094; 3,558,413; and 3,684,284; see also British Patent Specification No. 1,152,240.